Comparison
Primitivo di Manduria vs Uruguayan Tannat
How Primitivo di Manduria and Uruguayan Tannat differ, dimension by dimension.
The short answer
The main differences: Uruguayan Tannat has more savoury character; Primitivo di Manduria has more sweetness; Uruguayan Tannat has more acidity.
Choose
Primitivo di Manduria
Choose Primitivo di Manduria if you want something sweeter, stronger and warmer, fruitier.
Choose
Uruguayan Tannat
Choose Uruguayan Tannat if you want something more savoury, fresher and more acidic.
Where they genuinely differ
Only differences large enough to notice in the glass are listed here. A gap of half a point on a five-point scale is noise, and WineHQ does not dress it up as a finding.
Savoury character
Clear differenceNon-fruit, umami-adjacent character: meat, leather, olive, soy, broth, cured notes. Often increases with age.
Uruguayan Tannat is more savoury: medium-plus against low-medium.
Sweetness
Clear differencePerceived sugar in the finished wine, driven mainly by residual sugar but modified by acidity, alcohol and fruit ripeness.
Primitivo di Manduria is sweeter: low-medium against low.
Acidity
Clear differenceTotal perceived acidity. Rises in cooler climates and with earlier picking; falls with heat and ripeness.
Uruguayan Tannat is fresher and more acidic: medium-plus against medium.
Alcohol
Clear differencePerceived alcoholic strength, which tracks actual ABV but is modified by sweetness, acidity and body.
Primitivo di Manduria is stronger and warmer: high against medium-plus.
Fruit intensity
Clear differenceHow loudly the fruit flavours speak, independent of whether they are ripe or tart.
Primitivo di Manduria is fruitier: high against medium-plus.
Spice
Clear differencePepper, clove, cinnamon and related spice notes, whether from the grape (as with rotundone in Syrah) or from oak.
Primitivo di Manduria is spicier: medium-plus against medium.
Where they are much the same
Just as useful: knowing which parts of the choice do not matter.
- Tannin: Similar — both medium-plus.
- Body: Similar — both high.
- Aromatic intensity: Similar — both medium.
- Oak influence: Similar — both medium.
- Floral character: Similar — both low.
Full side by side
| Dimension | Primitivo di Manduria | Uruguayan Tannat |
|---|---|---|
| Savoury character | low-medium (2/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Sweetness | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) | low (1/5) |
| Acidity | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium (3/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Alcohol | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Fruit intensity | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) |
| Spice | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium (3/5) |
| Perceived freshness | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Texture | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Tannin | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) |
| Body | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) |
| Aromatic intensity | medium (3/5) | medium (3/5) |
| Oak influence | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Floral character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Herbal / green character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Earthy character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Carbonation | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Serve at | 16–18°C | 16–18°C |
| Typical flavours | dried fig, blackberry, black cherry, chocolate, liquorice | blackberry, plum, liquorice, cocoa, dried herb |
Values are typical points within each wine’s range. Both wines vary — see the individual pages for how much.